


Heart of Darkness

by your_dragon_just_shot_at_me



Series: Heart of - Detective Pikachu [4]
Category: POKEMON Detective Pikachu (2019), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Cop Drama, F/M, detective drama
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-14
Updated: 2020-04-17
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:53:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,991
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23144230
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/your_dragon_just_shot_at_me/pseuds/your_dragon_just_shot_at_me
Summary: Tim Goodman completed his second case, if he was being technical, as an unofficial detective. But there is little rest in this line of work as he gets thrust straight into another case while learning the ropes and taking the proper exams to get his license. Tim thought he'd seen the seediest parts of Ryme  with chasing down his father but that apparently that wasn't the case. Pokemon trafficking, dirty cops. Who cares about dark dank coffee shops, he was now frequenting the dregs of Ryme, getting into bar fights and becoming friends with Ryme's scoundrels.As he dives deeper into what makes the Region tick, he's learning how to navigate his family and falling in love.
Relationships: Harry Goodman & Tim Goodman, Tim Goodman & Pikachu, Tim Goodman / Original Female Character
Series: Heart of - Detective Pikachu [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1505594





	1. Glooms are not a girl's best friend

**Author's Note:**

> Author's Note  
>  \-------------  
>  Story takes place directly after the events of Heart of Gold, the first part of the series. There is a second piece in this series already which were just small shorts from Fictober 2019.   
>  I will updated tags as I go along posting chapters. As a general disclaimer, this is an adult story with adult themes similar to a cop drama on tv but with more swearing than on general network television. Even in this first chapter there is reference to prostitution. Read at your own risk. If I have missed tagging something let me know, I will update.   
>  I have made general assumptions, like that the Teams are essentially like gangs (referenced in the first story).

Lunch simmered on the stove. A medley of chili spices permeated the large office, or living space, and kitchen. Alison was prepared to eat every last taco if Tim and Harry didn’t show soon. She would. She was freaking starving and the apartment smelled even better than her Tuesday night Alolan inspired kabobs, plus she didn’t have to worry about what anyone else thought. No gossip by Bernie and Daniel to all ends of their little network of friends, no comments on her femininity, absolutely nothing to worry about. Honestly, she’d expected her phone to be blowing up with messages and emails from everyone after Tuesday. Bernie didn’t know how to keep his mouth shut. Instead, nothing. Sweet, blissful silence. Too much silence. 

Harry stole Tim for his little secret, but really not so secret, case. He was just as bad as Bernie about keeping secrets. This case he’d taken several days ago seemed innocuous enough. Find a missing girl after a date gone wrong. Her mother contacted Harry when her daughter didn’t answer texts or phone calls the day after the date, which according to her mother was highly unusual. At least that was what Harry’s notes said. Not being a minor meant the Ryme City Police Department took notes and made a report and BOLO for the woman but there was little else they legally could do and with resources diverted towards a recent influx of Team Galactic’s threats against the city. Talk on the street, the little Alison heard on the street in her normal day to day hangouts not her undercover ones, was Galactic’s new head was a former member of Clifford Industries and has a vendetta against the Cliffords and the city. In short, plans were being made to level the city, whether the city was inhabited or not. 

Those problems she left to officers not on medical leave. Other problems were more pertinent. For example, she was currently alone with lunch and that was not going to last long. Not really a problem for her. 

_Ali: How many tacos I eat is entirely up to when you show up at your own apartment._

That would either get their asses moving or not. She wasn’t waiting any longer.Alison focused on warming her tortilla so she could pile in the meat and cheese and top with some actual fresh, crisp, veggies unlike the vegetable like substances Harry considered vegetables. 

Two bites were all she got when she heard the familiar ding buzz of Harry’s cell. The door opened to a morbid, rancid stench filling the apartment and obscuring any trace of the food simmering, choking Alison. Slamming lids on the pots and pans, she grabbed a kitchen towel, soaked it under the faucet and held it to her face. 

“Roses. God, roses, Harry. I love roses. Not Glooms!” She could barely breath even with the towel pressed close. “Stop moving! Both of you!” She screeched at them. Those two taco bites were a horrible, horrendous mistake. Alison rushed around, shouting every few seconds at Harry to not move another inch since she knew every time she turned away he would move again making small plums of pollen spring up, “Legendaries be damned Harry, if you keep moving there will be Gloom pollen everywhere and I will not be cleaning it up!”

Bucket in hand, Ali came back to the office with both Goodman’s gesturing wildly at the other, she started almost growling at them, “I said stop moving!” She thrust towels soaked in a few inches of water at them trying valiantly to keep her own fixed to her nose. “Wet yourselves down. I will get bathrobes. Shit.” Instinct moved faster than her brain and the words were out before she’d thought it through. Her brain caught up as both Goodman’s did as well. One Goodman, one bathrobe until now and their silent debate started back up. “Don’t keep arguing.” They weren’t yelling but attempting to get each other’s point across with wild swings and gestures which kept renewing puffs of pollen in the air increasing her urge to vomit every time she opened her own mouth to do crazy things like breath. “We need more towels. All the towels.” Ali pressed the kitchen cloth to her nose tighter, “Might need to borrow some towels.” 

She could only hold on so much longer before those two bites of taco came back up to say hi. Alison threw towels out into the office from the closet. Every single one then rummaged in Harry’s closet for his robe. Panic twisted her stomach even tighter than the pollen. The robe had conveniently gone missing and if she saw anything she was sure to go blind. Kicking his bedroom door she finally praised the Legendaries. The robe! Plaid plushy material flew out of the bedroom as well. 

The boys started dampening their clothes daring to make their argument verbal. 

“Was that entirely necessary?” Tim stripped his top layer of clothing. Under different circumstances she would be thrilled by the prospect.

“Turn around!” Harry yelled at her.

Tim started to go to his room when she yelled, “Don’t bring that pollen in your room. You’ll never get it out of the bed!” Alison turned around, to give them both some privacy. “And all clothes go in the damn bucket!” 

“‘Just see where this goes’. What kind of dad tries to get his son a prostitute?” 

“I have so many questions.” Alison gulped down a breath, held it in and rinsed out her cloth. The water was already running bright orange. They’d been doused good. Like really good. 

“Would have been creepy for me to ask for an 18 year old girl.” 

“Creepier than asking for one for your son?” 

“Your boyfriend cannot flirt on command.” 

She gagged as she replaced the kitchen towel and took a deep breath in. Years of watching and learning from the famous Harry Goodman Alison had learned how to be a detective and more. Flirting on command, and well, was an acquired skill, definitely useful. Tim made a firm decision to actually pursue detective work about two weeks ago and his ability to talk to any woman was woeful.

“Oh, so now I’m allowed to be her boyfriend,” Tim complained. 

Alison wanted to peek, just once. Not with Harry standing right there, though. “I am simultaneously happy as his girlfriend and terrified for his detective career.” She drummed her fingers on the counter, waiting while the tacos mocked her from their pans. No one would want to eat after this, not for a while. She found a fine orange dust covered the counter that her drumming disrupted. Wetting down their clothes wasn’t helping as much as she’d hoped. All their movement before and silent arguing spread enough pollen around that they would need to clean everything in the office and hallway to hope to get rid of the stink. 

“Real supportive. Thanks.” 

“What? Your father can’t flirt either.”

“I’m really not sure which of you two is more mortifying to be around.”

She braved rinsing the kitchen towel again and fought the urge to open all the windows and turn on every fan in the apartment. While that might help the loose pollen and settle the stench enough to uncover her nose it was more likely she’d embed much more pollen into the soft surfaces like the couch and beds and then they’d be staying in a hotel waiting for a professional cleaner. 

“I’m guessing someone thought your client, Miss Dalton, was set up by Andry’s ‘agency’ and they wanted you to confirm?” Either they were covered again or she would burn her eyes out after seeing more of Harry than she ever needed to see because looking at the tacos was making her dangerously nauseated. Wrapped snuggly in the robe, Tim’s clothes lay soaking in the bucket with Harry’s. “For the love of Arceaus, Mr. G! What is wrong with you?” Harry was covered with a towel, but that still left his upper body exposed leaving her with the intense need to burn her eyes out. 

“You know, at one point I had a very reliable source at the bikini-” 

“Dad! Ah! Zip it!”

Fighting the urge to try to cool her flushed face, Alison said, “You know, that book I gave you about the licensing exam was meant to be a guide for how to handle your father.” 

“Guide?” 

“Yeah, no, I understood that the first time I read it.” 

“Nothing about the-?” 

The urge to punch Harry grew as she considered the potential drawbacks like going blind if anything unforeseen happened to the hand holding the towel. Instead she pushed on, “You never just ‘see where’ anything goes when you’re out with him! He’s a lunatic! Me getting into a fight is tame compared to the havoc your father wreaks.” 

“My informant had to switch jobs and now is working in an auto shop.” He was mumbling now, loudly. 

“Wait? This is normal? Like…every day he does this kind of stuff?” Tim threw an accusatory glare at his father, the very same one that Bernie often gave Harry. Electricity filled the air before they fired at each other again. “I didn’t kick a Magikarp!”

“I didn’t try to stamp out a ‘zard’s tail!” They were shouting over the other making Pikachu and Emolga scurry out onto the fire escape. Smart little ‘mons. She should have joined them when she had the chance. “We got out!” Harry insisted. 

“I got arrested!” Tim fired back. 

Tim had been fairly sparse with the details of his arrival in Ryme City. She knew he and Harry had been involved in the whole Clifford Industries debacle at the 10th anniversary parade for the city. Besides Harry being missing at the time Tim didn’t say much but she’d put together that it must have involved Lucy and he was embarrassed to talk about Lucy with her still. 

“Hide got you off the charges! Besides, it was just the illegal fights.” 

“Wait!” Harry flinched, as well he should. Alison risked her eyes throwing a punch at Harry.

“No. No, no, no, no.” She sent him clambering onto his desk. “Harry Goodman! You are not responsible of the Roundhouse!” Swinging over the desk, he didn’t have many good options for retreat. Alison was faster than him. “Oh by the fucking Legendaries. Harry!” Her piercing screeches only kept getting higher in pitch. “Did you get Tim…did Seb-?” His choices were dwindling now that his ears were ringing and he clutched desperately to the towel. “Will he recognize Tim, Harry? Will he?” 

“He’ll be fine!” 

“Seb has people and ‘mons everywhere. He might be a coward but he employs-” She was after him. Around the desk and cornering him in the kitchen. “You fixed it?” Lower, guttural, she sounded like a snarling ‘mon. “Right? Right!” Harry flashed a smile. “Oh!” She slammed the counter with her fists. Silently Harry was offering to, now that he was found out. “Don’t! I will fix it. You’ll just make a bigger mess. You,” still seething, “clean up lunch! You,” she wheeled on Tim, “take a shower. And find something…of your dad’s to wear.”   
Emolga chittered at the window, “Emolga! Emolga!” 

“Yes, yes.” Just knowing what she’d cooked not long ago made her stomach lurch again.

“We will go see Miss Andry after we go fix this stupid mess!” Collecting the bucket, she dropped it next to Harry. Still fuming she added, “How could you go in with the wrong code word?” 

A cloud of orange pollen hovered dangerously over the bucket. Somehow not affecting Ali, Harry on the other hand gagged and retched, “I had the right code word.” 

“She only sends out Gloom if you have the wrong one. Baka!” 

“If you had taken the job months ago.” 

“We are not having this conversation again!”

Tim bit his lip hard enough there was a danger of it bleeding. “I don’t want to know why my dad is trying to get my girlfriend to work as a prostitute.” 

“Dancer! Miss Andry has a wide array of business opportunities.” 

Tipping the bucket enough to make another small plume of pollen hang over the bucket, “I swear Mr. G, I will tase you and permanently delete all of your detective movies.” Alison stormed down the hall, slamming the door with her. Emolga chattered to Pikachu before she glided down to street level. 

* * *

Tim stepped out in fresh clothes, wary of touching anything. His father was not the most fastidious of cleaners. The moment he was out of the bathroom, the Gloom stench almost sent him back in gagging again. Holding his breath, Tim gave a weak wave to his father and Pikachu as he tried to make a hasty exit before he got roped into cleaning. 

“She said to take Pikachu with you,” his dad called out, grimacing at the counter. Tim nodded, waving frantically for Pikachu to follow before he needed to inhale again. 

Tim felt an unsettling sense of deja vu. His dad was a creature of habit. Roger Clifford had been good to his word after his father, Howard’s, arrest. Settling the debts to Harry for finishing Howard’s case and replacing any property that he’d lost, like his car after the psychotic Greninja crashed it or all their hospital bills because of MewTwo and Ditto’s attacks. So, what did Harry do? Buy the exact same car he’d had previously, right down to the last bolt. Every time he looked at the damn car, all he could see was the damn thing crashing over the bridge, his dad crawling from the wreckage as his life drained away. Even knowing what he knew now, Tim still struggled with the memories. His mind seemed to only want to replay the version where it looked like his dad died. He never saw the version where MewTwo helped Harry. Not when he looked at the car.

Scanning the block up and down, neither he nor Pikachu saw any sign of Alison or Emolga. He bit the bullet and got in the car. Turning to strap Pikachu into the tiny specialized seat, he groaned. Pikachu deftly avoided all the takeout containers and empty disposable cups. It was like the mess just migrated from the apartment where he didn’t allow it to the car. 

The passenger door slamming shut jolted Tim. A black-clad passenger sat next to him with a bat wobbling on their knees. His heart leapt at the sudden intrusion. Panic that he was about to be robbed gripped him. Black hood up, a matching black scarf obscuring their face, with black jeans and boots. He couldn’t make out any details other than black. Plus an open bag at their feet, filled with weapons. Hard to tell what was more intimidating. 

“Let’s go.” He hadn’t even realized he was holding his breath until he realized it was Alison speaking. Throwing the hood off, her hair held back in a Skull emblazoned bandanna matching the one around her neck. Emolga chittered in the back with Pikachu, happily going about their normal business. Alison even passing them Berries to snack on in the car which he was sure his dad would, ironically, not approve.

“Right. Yeah. Let’s go,” he strained to get the words out. Tim started the car feeling a little foolish his near hysterics, and that’s when he noticed her bouncing legs shaking the small car. Her teeth clamped down on a thumb so hard that the bit he could see was turning purple. She wouldn’t even look him in the eye. “You ok?” 

“We’re going to the warehouse district before you hit the docks. Not far from the Roundhouse.” 

“Right.” Other than directions, Alison was sparse with words. He couldn’t quite figure out why she was so quiet again. And so tense she looked about ready to snap. Occasional sniffs and grumbles made him curious enough to ask, “Are we getting into a fight?” He didn’t really think they were getting into their first fight as a couple, though the more he thought about it, the more real that possibility sounded. 

“Probably. Turn right.” Prodding just that one time made her hide in the folds of black fabric. At a stoplight, he finally caught her reflection with the tight pinching of her nose, like she was trying to ward off a migraine. 

Behind him, Pikachu hopped up on the back window, trying to look out. “You’re supposed to be strapped in!” Tim grunted at them. Emolga’s ears were twitching as wildly as her head trying to take in the city. They needed a second car seat. One that neither of those little ‘mons could unlock on their own! “We don’t have to,” Tim turned back to her, trying to quell the rattling of the entire front end by her. 

Alison twisted around in her seat, pulling the little Pokemon into his booster and strapping his seatbelt on his tiny lap. “Not exactly the first time. One of the few things I am good at.” Neither were paying attention when the light changed. The car behind them honked, making Tim slam on the accelerator harder than he meant. They lurched forward in their seats before crashing back again so he wouldn’t hit the car in front of them. She couldn’t avoid him this time while they waited for traffic to clear. “This is different. Ok? This isn’t just walking in and some dumbass guy is being an asshole and I punch him in the face like he fucking deserves. Ok?” So, that sounded like it happened a lot.

“Then…?” 

“Turn left.” He obliged but still pressed her for an answer with a simple hard glare, something he’d picked up from Gram over the years. “I just-I hate being a grunt!” Fumbling at her neck, she fought with the bandanna, throwing it on the dash. 

“Are you emb-?” 

“Yes! Ok? Yes.” Scratching at the cloth over her hair moved everything around, messing both and frustrating her more and more to the point of her throwing that on the floor of the car too. “This isn’t something I’m exactly proud of.”

Tim finally steered them out of the busy traffic headed toward the downtown metro area and towards the quieter and far more sketchy areas of Ryme. Areas, he assumed, were the ‘Team Zones’ Alison had mentioned before. “My dad-” 

“Isn’t my boyfriend.” Alison finished. “Any Teams in Leaventown?” She didn’t need to wait,

“Thought so.” Retrieving the bandanna, she tied it on again and grabbed the bat, “We can take this for another eight blocks and park.” 


	2. A kid and his Pikachu can start a riot

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Notes: This was a long break between chapters (not that it wasn't written) but things have been a bit crazy. Besides what is going on in the world I have been working diligently on a short story for an actual anthology that will get published and doing critiques and now Camp Nano has taken me over. But that is good, because it means I am getting the first draft of the end of this fic (which so far has about 26 chapters) done! 
> 
> I hope that once the first draft is done I will get more chapters out quicker. I have also decided to go back and re-edit Heart of Gold now that I have software for editing and grammar. While the story will not change it will be more polished.
> 
> As with my previous works (and chapter probably): Swearing and violence ahead. Be warned.

Tim let Alison fidget in peace until they parked. He hadn’t known what to expect when she said she would “fix” whatever problem had cropped up from the Roundhouse owner, Sebastian. He still didn’t. She literally held her entire plan to herself. No sign of what she was planning other than, apparently, threaten people with bodily harm. As he’d gathered so far, that seemed to pretty much be her normal state. And she was fully willing and capable of causing severe bodily harm.

He’d not put any thought into her undercover persona since he’d seen it last. Other than the little Lucy told him before, he knew she worked in the auto shop as a ‘fixer’ for Team Skull, which seemed to entail a wide variety of little odd jobs. Included in that was actually fixing broken things, like motorcycles and cars, and then fixing whatever troubled the local Skulls faction. The ones she felt like helping with. 

What he had thought about, a lot more than he intended, was how she spent her time since she’d left Lavender Town. He came to the conclusion she’d spent most of her time fighting. Fighting for food. Fighting for shelter. Fighting for money. Fighting because men treated her like shit. Unending fighting. He wasn’t the one doing the fighting, and he was exhausted thinking about it, maybe because he rarely had to fight for much in his life. 

Their car had been stopped for several minutes when he interrupted her thinking, “So, do I need,” he wasn’t sure how to say it but he pointed at the bag at her feet. The bag of weapons that made him rather uncomfortable. 

Finally breaking away from the window. “No!” Alison scoffed at him. “No, you have plenty of backup. The whole point of this is so you don’t get your ass kicked. Or worse.” Something was eating at her. They’d been sitting so long in silence, parked on the side of the street, but she didn’t seem to notice, just lost in thought. 

“Thanks. I think.” 

Stripping off her hoodie, her Skull pendant swung idly above what he recognized as, because all Regions highly publicized the logo, a Team Skull shirt. So easily identifiable as Team Skull, it would beckon cops to arrest her if she just walked around in public. Probably even in these designated ‘Team Zones’. 

“You know, Sebastian didn’t seem that-well, I mean, I intimidated him enough to…” Alison shot him a look that screamed she was not impressed. “Right,” Tim sighed. He wasn’t exactly the most imposing man. 

Pikachu crawled onto the armrest between them, Emolga bouncing animatedly in his booster seat. “Come in when you hear me talking about you,” she said completely to Pikachu, as if Tim weren’t even there. “Make sure he’s following you,” she said and jabbed at him with her thumb.

“Pi pi!” 

He was insulted. Actually, for real, insulted. She asked, “What? Do you know how to punch?” He’d also never seen her so bitchy. Honestly, he hoped there was a serious problem. Not too serious, just enough to explain this whole attitude. Tim wanted to snap back at her that yes, he did know how to punch. He only held back because she also looked on the verge of tears. Taking a deep, deep breath, he let go of his annoyance.   
Alison grabbed the bat at her feet and then exited the car, Emolga followed. The bat swung around as Alison loosened up her shoulders; finally landing across her back with her arms draped down. 

“What is with her?” Tim asked Pikachu as the little ‘mon bounded out of the car with him.   
Tim assumed Alison knew exactly where she was going. Except for the occasional sign, all the warehouses looked the same. Tim followed Alison, keeping back several paces until she and Emolga turned into a completely nondescript, could have been any other, warehouse. Pikachu ran forward, turning in circles at the door as he waited for Tim to catch up. 

* * *

Fights weren’t scheduled to start for hours. Sebastian had moved locations three times in just as many weeks. He had the cops wrapped around his finger, and not because of her, so she wasn’t exactly sure why he kept moving locations. Seb owned several businesses besides his fights. His favorite was the recording label where he produced music. Shitty music that Alison was personally offended by how crappy it was. Curious, she even looked into his finances once. His label should have gone under but he makes so much off live dj work and his fights to more than make up the deficit for his pet project.

The bland warehouse was a far cry from the Roundhouse. No pillars and columns, none of the old style architecture that gave the Roundhouse some charm, however little. Everything about the illegal battles was pretty deplorable, even if she’d owned them years ago. This just made them less enticing. Seb had to be losing money during the repairs. Other than the lack of architecture and Seb’s little pet Pokemon, everything else looked the same. Same round cage in the center of the viewing area. Stands for people, his dj equipment towering over them. 

“Well, isn’t this place a shit hole!” Alison turned round. People were here setting up and Seb wouldn’t be far seeing as he needed to oversee every aspect of his fights. 

From a dark corner, for which this place had many, Seb called out right on cue, “Oy, what the fuck did you-Angel?” Ugh. Sebastian fancied himself some punk glam rocker. The star of his very own show. Better yet, sun. Because the world revolved around him. “My little Angel!” But she didn’t dissuade it much since he was so good to her over the years. Dropping the bat Alison leapt into Seb’s open arms. “I heard about the Rocket ambush. Angel, darling, you look fantastic.” 

He hadn’t showered yet. She held in the urge to gag at his overused cologne or body spray, “You don’t think some Rocket lieutenants could take me, did you?” Hopping out of Seb’s grasp she saw more figures coming from all corners of the warehouse and closing in on her. “What the hell? I go get some work and you break your favorite place? You might love that shithole more than Char!” Hearing his name, a small burst of flame flashed up from the dark recesses where Charizard had been curled up asleep for an afternoon nap. A small squeal erupted from her, uncontrolled. “Char! Baby!” Even her undercover persona loved that big Flying type, far more than any human at the Rounhouse. The room vibrated as Charizard trotted to Alison. 

“Some loco kid and his damn Pikachu came looking for something.” 

“A kid and a Pikachu?” Charizard nuzzled into her chest further and further with each scratch. He was close to knocking her over. “You’re pathetic!” Alison laughed. 

“Oy, dumbass jumped on Charizard. My baby was distraught for days.” 

“Sounds like the guy’s got Berries. I like that.” 

“It’s not funny, love.” Seb tried to push between her and Charizard only stopping when Char’s tail flared menacingly. “That damn Electric rat set a Gyarados off. He tore through the Roundhouse like a-wait.” Sebastian backed away from her. “That hat. That fucking hat,” he growled as yellow fur jumped around behind Ali. 

Charizard, giagantic or not, started dancing circles with Alison playing a game with her like newly hatched Pokemon. Every few turns he’d duck his head down and playfully run into her chest. “Gyarados, huh?” She tried to sound tough but a fit of giggles took hold when Charizard got her again in the stomach. “Never did understand why you kept any Magikarp around.” 

* * *

Tim hovered at the sliding door that looked like it would double as the main entrance to the temporary underground Pokemon fights. From this distance he could only hear little bits of the conversation. Pikachu stood with him in the door, ears twitching at every tiny little noise. 

Alison looked like a different person now. The darkness she’d been harboring disappeared the second she started playing with the intimidating, some might consider even terrifying, Charizard. The Roundhouse’s owner, Sebastian, partner. She was crazy; absolutely and unequivocally crazy. And absolutely beautiful. There was this special way she interacted with Pokemon. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it but it took his breath away every time. She was the exact opposite of him. Of how he’d been for years. She had some kind of innate bond with them. 

Lost in his amazement, Tim had no idea what Alison had been talking about until Pikachu scampered behind her and he was late. 

“I think I’d like this guy and his little ‘mon.” Barely making it to his chin, Alison held herself up as high as she could. 

“’Cause he’s got berries?” 

“Bigger than yours.” 

Tim wasn’t sure if he should keep to the shadows, hide or try to own it and join Alison. Without the cover of music and a crowd cheering on the battles the intense focus of Sebastian’s friends burrowed into his soul as he stepped into the patchy light.

Sebastian wasn’t paying attention to him. “Again!” he bellowed at Pikachu. Then he saw Tim and Charizard had a hard choice to make. Stand up for his partner or stay with the sweet lady that was playing with him. Toe nudged under the bat, Alison kicked it into her hand as Emolga landed on her opposite side, sparking. Sebastian’s voice roared through the warehouse, “Get them.” 

“Take it back, Seb.” As if a switch were flipped, her tone turned dark. Arcing around both Emolga and Pikachu, two Sparks careened toward Seb’s friends and their own Pokemon. 

“He took the Roundhouse from me, Angel!” 

“And you had no hand in that, right?” Sebastian wasn’t backing down though and Tim was just caught between them. The door was still at his back, and he could grab Alison and run, solving nothing. But Alison was moving forward again. Bat casually back across her shoulders, even with three men and two women trying to flank her. “You did nothing to provoke anything, am I right?” He wouldn’t even meet her eye as she shouted. The surrounding circle was closing in as they had a staring contest. “Tell them to back the fuck off, Seb.” 

“I deserve compensation, love.” 

“He’s mine.” Neither were backing down. Tim wasn’t sure what to do. He didn’t end up needing to anything at the moment. Alison’s knee jutted up into Seb’s…berries, sending Sebastian sprawling. “Fine.” He protested, but she was up on the stands before Tim could try to stop her. Crashing metal resonated with her as she stomped along the stands and smashed the bat against each level as she rose. Stopping at a tangle of wires, the bat wound through and she twisted. “Call them the fuck off, Seb.” Emolga crackled again. One tug. The wire and cords were tight. His equipment started sliding. 

“Stop! Angel,” Seb called out as he hobbled to the stands where she stood. “Be reasonable. You want the reward?” At that his friends began protesting. Reward? There was some reward out for him? 

“Tell them it’s done or you ain’t playing any music anytime soon, love. And this will just be the start.” Tugging again and the first of panels, filled with dials and switches, hung precariously. 

“Let’s all be cool, darling! Everyone, let’s breath.” Code for his friends to back off. Tim’s heart thumped in his chest, hard. As she unwrapped her bat, both Pikachu and Emolga settled down with their electricity. “You can’t blame me, Ange. If it weren’t for him…” 

Him? Him? With a scoff Tim interjected, “I didn’t have my jacket filled with R! Who was responsible for those Pokemon going psycho?” 

Behind Sebastian, steering herself around Charizard as he squatted between the feuding friends, a blond woman pushed through Seb’s men. She gave an extra shove to one when he didn’t move fast enough, “Seb, love. I don’t know who this bitch thinks she is, but you promised us that reward if we found that runt. I want my money.” A shiver ran down Tim’s spine as she smiled at him. 

“Y-you didn’t bring him.” And now he was utterly floored. If he didn't know better he’d think Sebastian was more terrified of Alison than anyone else. “Angel…” he croaked, caught between a Rock type and a hard place.

Wood clattered at Tim’s feet. “Seb, shut her up if you don’t want me to tear this place to the ground.” The way she was sneering didn’t match her casual and deliberately slow steps. 

“You swore,” the woman screeched, sending Pokemon skittering away. Even the Pangoro behind Seb retreated behind Charizard. 

“Aw,” Alison met the other woman’s eyes. “Seb, she you new little Bunnelby you keep in bed at night?” Sebastian rushed over, trying to ease his way in between the girls, “She better shut her mouth or I’ll skin her-”

“You think you got shit on me?” From behind her back, white light blinded them. As the spots faded a Kabutops rushed toward Alison. Reaching out to grab his girlfriend, Tim stopped short when Charizard stepped in the way, roaring loud enough to deafen them all. Kabutops didn’t back down. Bending low, he sprang above Charizard’s head, scythes lashing out. Simultaneous Thunderbolts sizzled through the air, momentarily surrounding Char in electricity. Kabutops fell limp before he hit the cement, skidding into the cage. 

The woman released a roar of her own, her own knives slashing out at Alison. 

Everything was moving too fast for Tim to know what he could do to help until Sebastian was shaking him, “Stop Angel!” 

“You think I can stop her?” He’d only looked away for a second and now blood streaked down the blonde woman’s face. A knife slid across the floor from her hand, Alison’s fists alternating between blocking hits and beating the woman senseless. 

“She’s your girl?” Sebastian was hysterical now. 

“That doesn’t mean I can stop her!” He was feeling equally hysterical. The sickening thumping stopped and Tim was scared to look. Alison held the last knife to the woman’s neck. He barely recognized his own girlfriend. This must have been why Alison was so distant on the drive. 

“Sebastian?” Not even winded, Alison dragged the woman around. “I wouldn’t keep this Bunnelby around. She doesn’t seem to understand how things work around here.” To his credit, Seb tried to smile at Alison. So did Tim. 

Kicking the broken woman down, Ali slipped the knife into her own belt, advancing on them now. Fire in her eyes. “Now,” she dug out a paper and slammed it into his chest, “Call off the bounty.” 

“Bounty?” Crumpling the paper more, Seb let it fall to the ground but Tim could see a grainy picture of him and Pikachu. Had to be from the Roundhouse security cameras before their battle started. 

“Call it off. Right here. Right now.” For the first time since they’d met she was shaking. A light tremor ran through her, right through the fingers she flexed. Not that it made her any less dangerous. 

“Yeah, love. Of course.” The seconds that passed while Sebastian made a call dragged. “Oy, that stack I offered for ‘Chu and his partner is square. Take it down.” Twisting his hand to her, Alison verified there was an actual call he was about to end, not just trying to make some show for them. 

“No one touches him.” The adrenaline was wearing off. She was trying to catch her breath as she held her emotions in, burying them far away from the little band of want to be gangsters. Sebastian, whether he saw it or not, waited. Watching her. “Got it? Seb!” A snap in his face brought him back. 

“Yeah, of course, love. Anything for you.” They had a demeanor to maintain in front of his people. Seb tried to reach out to Alison, jerking away at the last second. “Angel…” 

“Thank you, Seb.” She wheeled around, found her bat and swung Tim around with her. “Get the Roundhouse back together. I won’t battle in this shit hole.” Tim checked that Emolga and Pikachu were following. Emolga had found a high perch and just started gliding after them while Pikachu protected their backs, waiting to follow until they were nearly out the door. 

“That your new partner?” 

“Always a pleasure, Seb!” 

* * *

She was going to vomit, collapse and probably cry. Whatever order it happened in, she didn’t care. It surprised Ali she could walk out under her own power. 

Tim had said nothing since they’d left. She wasn’t sure if that was good or bad considering she couldn’t remember where they’d parked. She needed air. 

The first sob just happened and she couldn’t walk anymore. They were, at most, two blocks from Seb’s warehouse when she couldn’t even hold the bat anymore. Fat tears spilled onto her cheeks, only for a moment until she buried her face in his chest. Heaving sobs. Eventually Tim steadied them. Sobs turned into the occasional hiccough. Fistfuls of his shirt clenched in her grip so Tim wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer and he did.

“Hey. Hey, hey.” His hand slid across her bandanna, letting her hair fall loose against him. Placing a gentle kiss on the top of her head, he smiled at her attempt to breath.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” A new round of sobs threatened her. Mumbling incoherently, even her thoughts swirled around in circles. She couldn’t tell what she was saying. Tim definitely couldn’t. He just kept smiling into her hair, holding her close. 

“I’m sorry it came to that.” His hand swept around her head, pulling hair out of her face. Rubbing her face into his chest, she mashed snot all over him. She chuckled at the way he groaned, “Really?” 

Her eyes burned and she was sure her face was red and puffy and just generally grotesque. “Never…”

“See where it goes with my dad. Got it.” 

“At least when you go to shady…yeah. No, just never.” 

Tucking her hair behind her ears, Tim knocked his forehead with hers. “Am I allowed to work? Because…” His shirt still clenched in her fists, Alison pulled him down to her lips.   
Tim didn’t relish breaking their kiss. She could feel him looking up and down the street while he kissed her forehead once more. “Two things.” She conceded that a dark street in a Team Zone was not the place to make out. “One: never take me to the Roundhouse for a date. Like a real date. I will beat you.” She hated how he made her melt when he looked in her eyes. How she felt like she’d burst. 

“Agreed.” His hand moved down to her waist, rocking her back to the wall behind them.

“What’s the second thing?” 

Reaching up on her tiptoes, she said, “Never go near the Roundhouse or anything like that without backup. Take Emolga or Pikachu. Hell, Bernie or Squirtle just don’t go alone. I don’t trust Seb as far as I can throw him.” 

“Not my dad?” 

“Your dad is not backup, he’s a liability.”

Tracing the line of her jaw made her heart leap. “Agreed.” 

Another horrible thought popped up, “And don’t tell the Lieutenant I was here tonight.” 

“Oh, you mean you’re not supposed to be in a place you frequent while undercover to make sure your ruggedly handsome boyfriend doesn’t get pummeled?” She reserved a small eye roll for him. “You were expressly told not to come here, weren’t you?”

“Shut up.”

* * *

Sebastian barked orders at everyone to clean up the damn mess. With Angel’s unexpected arrival and the ensuing chaos, they had more work to do than any other night before they opened for battles. 

Bunnelby, also known as Dee, dragged herself off to clean up. Utterly ashamed, as she should be. “Babe, next time…” 

“There is no next time.” A white handkerchief landed in her lap. “Once you’re cleaned up,” he jabbed his thumb out the door. She wasn’t spending another night with him in or out of bed. 

As the pace picked back up Seb slipped out into the early evening and after Angel. In the deserted streets of the warehouse district it didn’t take long to track them down. 

She was an angel. He didn’t know if she knew he remembered her. She hadn’t always gone by Angel. He remembered when she’d gone by another name, still with that little Cubone. Not much more than a scrawny teenager trying to make ends meet, stop living on the street. When she’d disappeared he had always hoped it was for a good reason like she’d gotten a job in a shop or gone to school and maybe he’d see her somewhere one day in the city just selling coffee or flowers. There were many reasons he never saw people again, and most were horrible. She was such a sweet girl, she deserved a better chance at a decent life than being in a Team. Then she showed up at the Roundhouse again. Older. Tattoos. Much more violent but still hiding that secret sweet spot for Pokemon or people down on their luck. He said nothing. Angel didn’t need help to win battles she was capable of that on her own. And Seb truly was happy to know that nothing unfortunate had happened to her in the intervening years. This just wasn’t where he’d hoped to see her again. 

But Angel was Angel. Standing up for that kid and making him take down the hit was all right up her alley, even if they weren’t an item. 

That little electric mouse in his strange hat and the Emolga stood guard as Angel fell apart. He couldn’t hear them from where he stood and he didn’t dare to get any closer and ruin seeing her. Really seeing Angel. She was going to squeeze that poor boy in her death grip. He let her. Just let her as he placed a kiss on her head. 

Whatever they said to each other led to another embrace and ended in Angel jumping into his arms. They landed against the wall in a fit of laughter, taunting each other with a kiss here or there. Nose to cheek to forehead and more. 

Suddenly it had become too intimate for Seb to watch. He’d wanted to say something, anything to make sure the little angel was ok. She was. That was enough for him. 

Dee had been cleaning blood off the floor, savagely scrubbing at the concrete. “Seb,” she abandoned the stain to chase him down. “Look. We can find the guy when that little wench…” He felt his jacket tugging back. 

Ripping it back, “We’re square with Angel. No one touches him.” Seb couldn’t even look at Dee. “Anything happens to that boy, whether or not it is you, and I will personally deliver you to Angel. Got it?” He didn’t wait for an answer. He didn’t care anymore. If she wasn’t gone by the time the battles started, well accidents happen and sometimes people accidentally get locked in the ring. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully my pace will keep up with Camp Nano and the first draft will be done soon enough. Plus only one more round of critiques and revisions for the anthology. But this, this right here, is my baby and I can't wait to share more. Thank you for reading. <3


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